Category: NASCAR Cup PR

NASCAR CUP SERIES
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
FOLDS OF HONOR QUIKTRIP 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 4, 2020

TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference and discussed his discussion with Bubba Wallace and other drivers about what is currently going on in the USA. Full Transcript:

WHAT IMPACTED YOU THE MOST IN YOUR CONVERSATION WITH BUBBA WALLACE ON INSTAGRAM THE OTHER NIGHT? HOW HAS THAT MAYBE GUIDED ANYTHING THAT YOU’VE DONE OR THOUGHT ABOUT SINCE THAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM?
“I’ve known Bubba since I was 13 when I first started racing and Bubba Wallace was one of the first kids I met at the race track or followed and knew. Kind of when you go to the race track, you’re first thing is to figure out who is the best. Bubba was younger than me, but in the class that he was in, he was the best. So, I always watched him. And we knew each other and then we ended up racing against each other. So our whole careers have been kind of a mirror back and forth. I am a little bit older than Bubba. So, I’ve known him my whole career and growing up and have seen him grow up as well, and to hear the stories about how Bubba was treated in some of those situations and knowing Bubba’s character and knowing him as a human being, that blew my mind because I would have never thought Bubba as a person, would have gone through anything like that. But, I think that’s just what it is. I think sometimes it’s easy for us who don’t know, as a white man or a white person, in general, we don’t know these stories. We don’t all the time ask the right questions to become informed. And just hearing what he’s gone through in his career and having to deal with people, on top of being a good race car driver, which makes people not like you always, but the color of his skin being something that he’s had to battle too in his career and will have to continue to battle. I think just hearing those stories impacted me in just saying that Bubba’s going through this, so is everyone else that looks like him, so why can’t we emphasize to learn more and hear the stories so that we can help make a change, have the right verbiage in our communities and in our groups, so that this problem doesn’t continue on.”

THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW SPORTS THAT’S ACTIVE RIGHT NOW. I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THINGS ON YOUR OWN, AS MANY PEOPLE ARE, BUT WITH THE PLATFORM THAT THIS SPORT AND ITS COMPETITORS HAVE THIS WEEKEND, THERE ARE NO EASY ANSWERS, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT ARE THERE ANY TYPES OF THINGS BEYOND WHAT’S BEEN SAID OR DONE SO FAR THIS WEEK THAT CAN BE DONE COMMUNITY-WIDE, OR IS THAT BEST LEFT TO EACH INDIVIDUAL TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES?
“I think obviously anything that’s said or expressed has to come from a true heart, so that does come from the individual. But I think it does take, as a group, saying that we don’t stand for it. And once we all know that we’re all on the same page as saying we don’t stand for it, we come together with a united voice saying that we don’t tolerate hate, racism, bigotry in our sport and that it’s not okay. And there’s great conversations going on with the folks in our sport on this in planning a united front to make a statement. And I’m very proud of that. Our sport is doing a good job, but it also takes the individuals who aren’t afraid to step out and say this isn’t about me anymore. And that’s tough in our sport because our sport is all about being number one and having the most influence as far as followers and sponsorship and being up front, it’s a very selfish motivated sport. That’s just what it is. There’s one winner in our sport. And there’s usually a bunch of losers trying to figure out how to get there. So our mindset, our whole career from the time we are 12 or 13, which are very impactful years in a human being’s life, is trying to figure out how to get yourself there. And, for one time, for the drivers and everybody in NASCAR who have worked so hard to get to this place, we have a platform where there are people that we can influence and be true leaders. And being a true leader, you don’t make it about yourself. It’s about the others in life. So, I think there’s great conversations going on around how we can make this a united front and voice that hopefully helps change. And make it not about being scared anymore to acknowledge that there is something wrong here.”

WHAT RESPONSE HAVE YOU RECEIVED ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IS THERE ANY HESITATION IN RACING, BECAUSE YOU ARE A LARGELY WHITE SPORT, WITH A LARGELY WHITE AND CONSERVATIVE AUDIENCE ABOUT GETTING OUT AND TACKLING SUCH A TOPIC AS THIS?
“Yeah, I think it’s something to certainly a lot of people consider. And it keeps a lot of people who feel strongly about this subject from saying things. And it’s tough. And, I’m not one to say hey, you need to speak up and tell other people what to do.

“For me, I can tell you about my heart on it and for me, I don’t care if I ever win a race or a championship in my life or lose every follower I have on Instagram or sponsor that I have, but when my children grow older and I take my last breath, I want to be made sure that I was on the right side of what I felt is going on in history. And that means way more than acquiring fame and trophies and wins. Those things all fade away. But the impact you had on human beings in your life, the relationship lasts forever. So, that’s my heart behind this. I know some people might not feel the same as me and I understand that, as well. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I just wanted to stop, in the middle of my career, and say hey, this is where I stand and there is the taunting in your head of what if I lose this or what if something happens. But, I know at the end of the day, this is what I believe in and I’ll stand up for what I believe in.”

WHAT HAS THE REACTION BEEN THAT YOU’VE RECEIVED SO FAR?
“It’s been very positive. I’ve had a really great reaction. Obviously, there’s the few that don’t agree. But, I’m not looking for someone to agree with me. I’m just talking about how I feel on the subject. You can’t do anything in this day without making one person mad or somebody else happy, but this is who I am . I want to use my platform to talk about things that matter to me, whether it makes some people uncomfortable, or not. So, in general, it’s been overwhelmingly positive. And so, that’s been really great.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK NASCAR, AS A SPORT, CAN DO MOVING FORWARD TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES AND MAYBE LACK OF REPRESENTATION THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY PART OF THE SPORT?
“I think the unfortunate thing that there has been in the past, a bit of a stigma about our sport, as being not accepting and kind of an underlying racist tone to our sport that I know doesn’t exist in the sanctioning body and in the drivers and in the sport, at an intimate level outside of what the fans and maybe the media get to see. I think there’s a lot of great-hearted people in our sport. But also, this is a time for us to speak up and confirm that. And so, like I said earlier, there’s a lot of great conversation going on and I think we all understand, as a group of drivers, our input, and NASCAR as a body, which is great. We’re all working together in that we have to change it. We have to make sure that the message isn’t just for right now. That we come together and come up with a plan that senses who NASCAR is today, tomorrow, and forever. So, there’s been a lot of great discussions of how we’re going to move forward and make sure that we move out of this narrative of the past, that all of these drivers that I feel like are in Cup and in the sport now, never wanted to inherit that tag or title. But, this is the time for us to change it for history. And I think we have a lot of passionate leaders in our group that are working together with everyone to try to encourage great change.”

DO YOU FEEL LIKE ATHLETES HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE THIS PLATFORM? LIKE MICHAEL JORDAN’S COMMENT OF EVEN REPUBLICANS BUY SHOES’. WHAT’S YOUR STANCE ON THAT?
“Yeah, I can’t really speak to Michael Jordan. I can just speak to my heard as far as what leadership means to me. And, I think every human being has a role in leadership in their life and whether you own a business or are a professional athlete, the amount of people that you might lead can be different. But, it’s all-important. To me the most important leadership I have is to my wife and to my kids. So, whether it’s your family, your friends that you spend time with in your small community, or it’s as a professional athlete. I have a platform of followers on Instagram that follow me. And much is given, there’s much expected. But it’s a blessing for me to have the following that I have and I can lead to the people that follow me and say hey, this is who I am and you can follow me in this way, or you can choose not to. But we all have opportunities to lead in life. And to have the excuse that you’re too small for people to care. No one in life is unimportant to not lead in some kind of way. I think once we all believe in ourselves in that way, we’ll start to change things.”

OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL HAVE A STRONG PLATFORM AND YOUR WORDS CAN SPEAK VOLUMES. BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION OR ACTION POINTS OR THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO BEYOND THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING AS FAR AS TRYING TO HELP UNDERSTANDING WITH WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOCIETY?
“Yeah, absolutely. There’s been some really great discussions privately behind the scenes with NASCAR, the executives in NASCAR, and all the drivers. So, I hope and expect soon that we’ll come out with a way of setting a tone with our hearts on this subject. So, I think the greatest thing that all of us can have is conversation. Conversation leads to change. Conversation leads to empathy and understanding. So, that’s happening. And, I first just want to say, I think Bubba Wallace’s strength to speak up during this time for our sport, has been awesome. And, I’m just proud of him as a friend, knowing him his whole career, too, and I think we’re going to see great things come out of this generation of NASCAR of who is in the sport right now. Hopefully it sets the tone for who comes after us. And for all of us, that would be the most important thing that we do.”

IS THERE ANYONE AT NASCAR DIRECTING THE DISCUSSION? IS IT SOMEONE WITHIN THE DIVERSITY PROGRAMS OR A POINT PERSON FOR THAT YET?
“Not yet. I think we’re in discussions that I think it’s coming from individuals. Right now it’s a lot of driver discussion with NASCAR saying let’s do this together. We want to be a part of it. NASCAR has confirmed their heart in this situation and are just backing the hearts of a lot of drivers in this. So, I’m excited. I think something great is going to come out of it and I think there is a group of real true leaders of drivers that are standing up and leading and so, I’m excited. I think there’s great opportunity here to hopefully make some changes.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Event: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500
Venue: Atlanta Motor Speedway (Hampton, Georgia)
Format: Three Stages – Stages End: Lap 105, 210, 325
Date/Broadcast: Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX

Atlanta Motor Speedway – the track NASCAR teams were slated to compete at in early March before all activity was suddenly postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic – is finally back on the schedule this weekend, and will mark the 10th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Since the resumption of the season, the NCS has visited Darlington Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway, for a total of five races as part of the altered schedule to return to action. Among those events, Go Fas Racing driver Corey LaJoie has scored three top-25 results, including a top-20.

For LaJoie and the No. 32 team, they couldn’t be more determined and eager to arrive at the Hampton, Georgia track on Sunday. They’re ready to bounce back after a taxing end to their effort at Bristol where they showed great speed early on, but an unexpected mechanical issue arose, impeding on the team’s day.

This weekend, Built Bar, a leading manufacturer of protein bars, will make its debut on the No. 32 Ford as the primary sponsor of the GFR team for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

Based in Utah, Built Bar combines natural, clean ingredients in a unique way. The proprietary process produces a bar that is high in protein, high in fiber, and low in sugar. With a light, fluffy texture and pure chocolate coating, the bar is known to “taste just like a candy bar” by it’s loyal consumers, and comes in an incredible variety of delicious flavors.

The company is capable of making over one million bars per day, operating out of a state-of-the-art 225,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. Selling direct-to-consumer, orders are received fresh within a few days from distribution centers located across the United States.

The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will be broadcast live on FOX on Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. ET.

To view all of the Built Bar products and for more information, visit www.BuiltBar.com.

LaJoie on the upcoming race weekend:

“We’ve had a very busy schedule since getting back to racing a few weeks ago. Five races in just about two weeks has been a fun challenge for teams and I think we’ve kind of caught our breath this week with only one race heading into this Sunday. Atlanta is a fun challenging racetrack that has aged out quite a bit. It has a lot of character behind it and we’ve been good there the last couple times Go Fas has been there. We’re hoping we can unload as fast as we have been recently and can be there at the end of the 500 miles to battle for another top-20 with the Built Bar Ford.”

LaJoie’s Cup history at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
Starts: 2
Best Finish: 29th (2019)
Average Start: 28th
Average Finish: 31.5

Looking back on the Food City 500:
Corey LaJoie and The Enlisted Nine Fight Company/JDog Brands team lined up 32nd for the 500-lap event at Bristol Motor Speedway this past weekend. The team showed great speed, finishing stage two in the 12th position. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue on lap 369 relegated the team to a 32nd place finish at The Last Great Colosseum. The No. 32 team is ready to get to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend and continue the positive momentum from the last 1.5-mile track, Charlotte Motor Speedway, where they brought home a top 20.

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About Our Team

About Built Bar:
Built Bar is a leading manufacturer of healthy, great-tasting protein bars-combining natural, clean ingredients in a unique way. The proprietary process produces a bar that is high in protein, high in fiber, and low in sugar. With a light, fluffy texture and pure chocolate coating, the bar is known to ‘taste just like a candy bar’ by it’s loyal consumers, and comes in an incredible variety of delicious flavors.

The original built bar was created by an experienced food inventor who wanted to develop a healthy, great tasting protein bar. After a few years of development, the Built Bar formula was perfected and ready for production. With the help of two seasoned entrepreneurs to provide marketing expertise and financing, the “Built” brand was born, and the company has experienced phenomenal growth over the past two years.

Located in Utah, Built Bar operates a state-of-the-art 225,000 square foot manufacturing facility that has the capacity to make over one million bars per day. Selling direct-to-consumer, orders are received fresh within a few days from distribution centers located across the United States. Built Bars are also available at exclusive retail stores across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please visit www.builtbar.com.

About Go Fas Racing:
Go Fas Racing (GFR) currently fields Ford Mustangs in the NASCAR Cup Series for driver Corey LaJoie. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, GFR has competed in the NASCAR’s premier series since 2014; fielding cars for some of NASCAR’s top drivers, including past champions. To find out more information about our team please visit www.GoFasRacing.com.

Stay up-to-date on Corey LaJoie:
To get live updates during the race weekends follow @coreylajoie on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to give Corey a “like” on Facebook – “@CoreyLaJoieRacing”. For a detailed bio and updated in-season statistics, please visit www.coreylajoieracing.com.

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Atlanta

Atlanta was set to host week five of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule back in mid-March, but after implications from COVID-19 over the course of the spring months, NASCAR returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. Roush Fenway boasts 13 wins all-time at the 1.5-mile track, including six in the Cup series.

Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.5-mile)
Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Sunday, June 7 | 3 p.m. ET

FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

· Ryan Newman, No. 6 Progressive Ford Mustang

· Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang

NASCAR Returns to Action

· NASCAR returns to the track where the schedule originally left off prior to sweeping changes from COVID-19, with all three national series (NCS, NXS, NGROTS) heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway.

· The Cup Series will run 500 miles on Sunday in the sixth event since NASCAR’s return to the track on May 17 in Darlington. Following Atlanta, the NCS will hit Martinsville (June 10), Homestead (June 14) and Talladega (June 21).

· Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

Bristol Recap, Atlanta Preview

· Despite two solo spins in the Castrol Ford, Newman overcame an ill-handling machine to battle for a 15th-place finish last weekend at Bristol. Buescher once again earned early stage points, finishing 10th in stage one, before making contact with the wall late to finish 23rd.

· Newman turned in a 13th-place finish at AMS a season ago, while Buescher earned a ninth-place run last spring.

Starting Lineup Procedures at Atlanta

For the second consecutive race, the starting lineup for Sunday’s race will be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owners points. Both Newman and Buescher – 20th and 21st respectively – fall within the 13-24 group, with their random draw coming from charter teams in those positions. This week’s random draw will take place on the Thursday night edition of RaceHub on FS1, which airs at 6 p.m. ET.

Roush Fenway at Atlanta

Roush Fenway has 263 total starts at AMS in the three major NASCAR touring series, totaling 13 wins, 59 top-fives, 110 top-10s and 10 poles, while leading 3,154 laps and turning over 101,000 miles. The team has 182 starts in NCS action with six wins and 71 top-10s with four poles.

AMS/Roush Fenway History

Roush Fenway competed in its first NASCAR event at AMS on March 20, 1988, finishing 31st after getting

involved in an early crash. However, just three years later the organization claimed its first win there in the fall of ‘91 with the No. 6 Ford. Roush Fenway won its first of seven NXS races at the track in the spring of ’97. Roush Fenway’s top outing at AMS came in the fall of 2005, when the organization placed four cars inside the top seven, with three cars finishing in the top five including race winner Carl Edwards. In fact, in the two races at AMS in 2005, Roush Fenway posted six top-five finishes and two wins.

Spring Forward

All but one of Roush Fenway’s Cup wins at AMS came in the fall, with the only spring win coming in 2005. Three of RFR’s seven NXS wins came in the fall.

Roush Fenway Atlanta Wins
1991-2 Martin Cup
1994-2 Martin Cup
1997-1 Martin NXS
1998-2 Martin NXS
2000-1 Martin NXS
2002-2 Busch Cup
2005-1 Edwards Cup
2005-1 Edwards NXS
2005-2 Edwards Cup
2008-1 Kenseth NXS
2008-2 Edwards Cup
2011 Edwards NXS
2012 Stenhouse NXS

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: HAMPTON, GEORGIA
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 10 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, JUNE 7 (FOX/PRN/SIRIUSXM)

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Chase Elliott
No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 24 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2020 Season
3rd in standings
9 starts
1 win
1 pole position
4 top-five finishes
5 top-10 finishes
368 laps led

Career
158 starts
7 wins
9 pole positions
48 top-five finishes
79 top-10 finishes
2,212 laps led

Track Career
4 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
3 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

NINE IN: Nine races into the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, is third in the driver standings. He also ranks third in laps led (368) and has one win, four top-five finishes, five top-10s and one pole award (Phoenix in March). The Dawsonville, Georgia, native leads the field with the highest average running position for the season (7.74), and his five stage wins in 2020 are the most for any driver.

SINCE THE RETURN: Since NASCAR returned to action, Elliott has racked up some impressive stats. His 6.75 average running position leads all drivers in the five races since May 17. He has collected one win, three top-five finishes and led a total of 182 laps – leading laps in all but one of the five races.

SOUND THE SI-REEN: On Sunday, Elliott could become just the second Georgia-born driver to win a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS), joining his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who won five times at the track.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND: In addition to Elliott hailing from Dawsonville, which is just 84 miles north of AMS, No. 9 team partners NAPA AUTO PARTS, Hooters and Kelley Blue Book have major presences in Atlanta. NAPA is Elliott’s primary sponsor this weekend, and Hooters will make its season debut next Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Both are based in Atlanta. Cox Automotive, the parent company of team partner Kelley Blue Book, is also headquartered there. KBB was the No. 9’s primary sponsor for its May 28 victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

ELLIOTT IN THE PEACH STATE: Elliott has made starts at Atlanta in each of NASCAR’s top-three levels – four in the Cup Series, two in the Xfinity Series and one in the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Last season was the only time the 24-year-old driver finished outside the top 10 in the Cup Series (19th). Elliott currently holds a 10.5-average finish at Atlanta, the best among active drivers at the 1.5-mile track. He also has finished in the top five in all of his Xfinity Series and truck starts at Atlanta.

1.5-MILE TRACK STATS: Elliott will make his 49th start on a 1.5-mile track this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In his previous 48 races, he has led 564 laps and most recently scored his second 1.5-mile track win at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28. Along with two victories, Elliott has collected 17 top-five finishes – four of which are runner-up results – and 26 top-10s on 1.5-milers.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: In addition to his full-time duty driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the Cup Series, Elliott will compete in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race in the No. 24 Hooters Chevrolet for GMS Racing on Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He most recently piloted the No. 24 Silverado on May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he ended the night in victory lane. The performance made Elliott the 10th driver in history to win at least three races in each of NASCAR’s three national touring series.

DESI9N TO DRIVE: As part of the Chase Elliott Foundation’s fourth annual “DESI9N TO DRIVE” art collaboration with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, patient-designed racing shoes will be worn by Elliott and Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron, Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman during the NASCAR Cup Series race this weekend. Elliott’s shoes were designed by 8-year-old Brooke Winokur and features a colorful outer space design including Mars, stars and astronauts. The shoes will be signed and put on the auction block staring June 5 at the NASCAR Foundation online auction site with proceeds benefiting the hospital’s summer camp program. In addition, the Chase Elliott Foundation will match the proceeds from the “DESI9N TO DRIVE” program and make a separate donation to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s COVID-19 fund that helps provide support, supplies and equipment for its most fragile patients and frontline workers.

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William Byron
No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver William Byron Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 22 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
17th in standings
9 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
2 top-10 finishes
15 laps led

Career
81 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
5 top-five finishes
19 top-10 finishes
309 laps led

Track Career
2 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

BRISTOL BATTLE: After starting 13th on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, William Byron experienced issues early in the 500-lap race that forced to him to the rear of the field on three different occasions. Each time, the third-year driver powered his way through the pack, finding himself within the top-five running order with almost 100 laps to go. Fighting the handling of his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE as the laps continued to wind down, Byron crossed the finish line in the eighth position for his best NASCAR Cup Series finish at the 0.533-mile short track and best finish so far in the 2020 season.

LIBERTY U RETURNS: Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will feature the traditional red and white flames of Liberty University on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Liberty University is in its sixth season of sponsoring the 22-year-old driver dating back to his time in the late model ranks. Liberty has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in business communications, Byron is in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program.

THE ATL ARCHIVE: With two previous Cup starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Byron has a track-best finish of 17th from last spring’s race. Byron has two other NASCAR starts outside of the Cup Series at the 1.5-mile track, including his seventh-place finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series during the 2017 season, the third-highest of the Xfinity Series regulars. He also has one start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series in 2016, where he was running second before losing an engine, leaving him with a 32nd-place finish.

KNAUS IS HOT AT HOT-LANTA: Calling the shots for 28 NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta, seven-time champion crew chief Chad Knaus has snagged the checkered flag five times, most recently back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. Out of those 28 races, Knaus’ cars have left the 1.5-mile oval with 14 top-five finishes and 15 top-10s. In fact, he has a knack for intermediate tracks in general, collecting 34 wins across his Cup Series crew chief career.

DESI9N TO DRIVE: This weekend, Byron will take part in the Chase Elliott Foundation’s “DESI9N TO DRIVE” shoe program. Benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s summer camp program, Byron and his Hendrick Motorsports teammates selected racing shoes designed by patients. Byron will sport 9-year-old Julia Hope Sears’ creation on his racing shoes that encompasses the theme of “Dream Big.” With a variety of colors present, Sears’ design includes stars throughout and the phrase “lights, camera, action.” After the event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the race-worn shoes will be signed by Byron and auctioned off online. In addition, the Chase Elliott Foundation will match the proceeds raised from the auction and make a separate donation to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s COVID-19 fund that helps provide support, supplies and equipment for its patients and frontline workers.

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Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 44 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2020 Season
15th in standings
9 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
4 top-10 finishes
28 laps led

Career
660 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
229 top-five finishes
368 top-10 finishes
18,862 laps led

Track Career
28 starts
5 wins
0 pole positions
14 top-five finishes
16 top-10 finishes
586 laps led

A JOHNSON-DANIELS’ BEST: Sunday’s third-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway marked the best result for Jimmie Johnson since July 7, 2019, at Daytona International Speedway. It was crew chief Cliff Daniels’ best finish to date since taking over the helm of the No. 48 Ally team in July 2019.

SO FAR, SO GOOD: In nine races this season, Johnson has the seventh-best running position (12.7) in the NASCAR Cup Series. A fast team always helps a fast driver, and the No. 48 Ally pit crew has clocked in with the seventh-best time for four-tire pit stops in 2020 with 14.2-second average.

DRIVERS, START YOUR ENGINES: Before the green flag drops Sunday, Johnson will have the chance to say “the most famous words in motor sports.” The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and five-time Atlanta winner will give the command for drivers to start their engines from the cockpit of his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to commemorate his final full-time season.

HOT-LANTA PERFORMANCE: Johnson has the third-best average finish of all active drivers at Atlanta of 12.0 over his 28 starts. The El Cajon, California, native is the proud owner of five wins there, most recently including back-to-back victories in 2015 and 2016.

1.5-MILE WIN PERCENTAGE: Johnson has the most all-time wins on 1.5-mile racetracks with 28, which is 11 more than former Hendrick Motorsports teammate and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. Johnson has won 14.7% of his 190 career starts on 1.5-mile tracks, which is the second-best percentage of all time. He trails only Fred Lorenzen, who won eight times in 38 starts (21.1%) on 1.5 milers.

BEST SHOES EVER: To support teammate Chase Elliott’s “DESI9N TO DRIVE” initiative, Johnson will don unique racing shoes this Sunday designed by 5-year-old Evelyn O’Dell. She created Johnson’s shoes with one thing in mind – her sister, Ellie. The design features a predominantly green and orange scheme with five hearts, representing Ellie’s five heart surgeries, and two butterflies – one for each sister. Evelyn’s hope is that her sister will be able to dream big and be happy. The shoes will be signed by Johnson and put on the auction block starting June 5 at the NASCAR Foundation online auction site with proceeds benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s summer camp program. In addition, the Chase Elliott Foundation will match the proceeds from “DESI9N TO DRIVE” and make a separate donation to the hospital’s COVID-19 fund that helps provide support, supplies and equipment for its most fragile patients and frontline workers.

NOT DONE YET: The next time Johnson crosses the finish line first, he will have scored his 84th points-paying Cup Series win to tie Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth all time. Johnson currently is 10 wins behind former teammate Gordon, who is third on the list with 93 victories. Johnson has the most wins of all active drivers with 83.

GOING HOME: Jackman Kyle Tudor, who hails from Augusta, Georgia, calls Atlanta Motor Speedway his home track. Tudor played football at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, as a linebacker and has been on the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team for four seasons.

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Alex Bowman
No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Driver Alex Bowman Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 27 Resides Concord, North Carolina

2020 Season
5th in standings
9 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
2 top-10 finishes
369 laps led

Career
162 starts
2 wins
2 pole positions
12 top-five finishes
28 top-10 finishes
843 laps led

Track Career
4 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

LAST FIVE: Since the NASCAR season resumed on May 17, Alex Bowman has five starts at three different tracks. The Tucson, Arizona, native has an average starting position of 9.2 and an average finish of 21.4. Bowman has led 256 laps in the five events and had an average running position of 2.8 in the 400-mile event at Darlington Raceway.

2020 STATISTICS: The No. 88 Axalta pit crew is ranked third in the NASCAR Cup Series in average four-tire pit stop time this season. The team’s average stop is 13.97 seconds and is the best median among pit crews servicing a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. Bowman is ranked fifth among drivers with the highest average running position in 2020 at 10.37. He also is second with the most stage wins this season. He has won four stages while teammate Chase Elliott has captured five. Bowman is also second in the most laps led in 2020 with 369.

ATL BOUND: Bowman has four previous Atlanta Motor Speedway starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. The driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet’s best finish of 15th came in last year’s event at the 1.5-mile facility. He made one start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, in 2013, when he qualified 18th. In 2017, Bowman ran in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, where he finished sixth after qualifying fifth.

1.5-MILE STATS: Since getting his start in the Cup Series in 2014, Bowman has run 52 races on 1.5-mile tracks. In those races, the driver has one win (Chicago in 2019), three top-five finishes, 11 top-10s and 404 laps led. He is one of 11 Hendrick Motorsports drivers to capture a win on a 1.5-mile racetrack.

IVES IN ATLANTA: On Sunday, crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots for the sixth time at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the No. 88 team. The Bark River, Michigan, native has two top-five finishes at the track, which include a runner-up result with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2016. Ives also has two career starts as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the 1.5-mile facility. In 2014, his team won the pole for the 195-lap event and led 36 laps en route to a fifth-place finish. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team with driver Jimmie Johnson. During that time, he was a part of two wins and one pole award at Atlanta.

AXALTA ON BOARD: Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway marks the second event of the 2020 season in which the Axalta colors will adorn Bowman’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. The leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings and Hendrick Motorsports announced an extension earlier this year that will take their partnership through the 2027 season. Read more here.

NEW KICKS: During this weekend’s event at Atlanta, Bowman will sport some very special shoes. The Chase Elliott Foundation is supporting the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta through the “DESI9N TO DRIVE” shoe program. Designed by 14-year-old Justin Mingo, the shoes will be autographed by Bowman and auctioned off by the Chase Elliott Foundation starting June 5. Proceeds will go to the foundation to benefit the hospital’s summer camp program. In addition, the Chase Elliott Foundation will match the proceeds raised from the auction and make a separate donation to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s COVID-19 fund that helps provide support, supplies and equipment for its patients and frontline workers. Visit the auction page here.

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Hendrick Motorsports

ATL SUCCESS: The 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway is one of 15 racetracks where Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams or is tied for the lead in total NASCAR Cup Series points victories. The organization has a record 14 wins there with six drivers, including victories by three different drivers in four of the last nine races since 2011. No other organization has won more than two Atlanta races in that timeframe.

RECORD BREAKERS: In addition to earning the most Cup Series wins at Atlanta, Hendrick Motorsports is the track’s record-holder in runner-up finishes (16), top-fives (59) and top-10s (90). Its drivers have led more than 3,000 laps there – the second-most in history. Hendrick Motorsports also holds the all-time record for combined wins at 1.5-mile facilities with 60.

TAKING THE STAGE: All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers rank in the top 11 in NASCAR Cup Series stage points earned in 2020. Alex Bowman is first (110) with Chase Elliott third (107), William Byron eighth (53) and Jimmie Johnson 11th (43; tied with Denny Hamlin). Through nine races this season, Hendrick Motorsports has won 10 of 19 stages. Elliott leads all drivers with five stage victories with Bowman in second at four. Byron has one stage win this season at Darlington Raceway. Hendrick Motorsports captured eight stage victories in all of 2019 (36 races).

PACING THE FIELD: Through nine NASCAR Cup Series events in 2020, the Chevrolet Camaros of Hendrick Motorsports have led 780 laps – or 30% of all laps raced – which is the most of all organizations. Team Penske is second (689), Joe Gibbs Racing third (481) and Stewart-Haas Racing fourth (478). The fewest laps led by Hendrick Motorsports in a 2020 race is 28 at Darlington Raceway on May 20.

ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has totals of 12 championships, 258 race victories, 226 pole positions, 1,079 top-five finishes and 1,852 top-10s in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led more than 69,500 laps since 1984. Including 2020, the organization has won at least one race in 35 consecutive seasons, the longest-ever streak. Hendrick Motorsports is 10 wins away from tying Petty Enterprises’ all-time Cup Series record of 268.

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QUOTABLE /
Chase Elliott on the challenges of Atlanta Motor Speedway:
“The track hasn’t changed a ton these past few years. It has a lot of wear to it, a lot of character and a lot of bumps. There is a fine line of getting your car right. I’m excited about that. As a team we’ve had a lot of dialogue in trying to get our NAPA Chevy dialed in without having any practice, which is tough. I have a lot of confidence in my guys being able to get us close and giving us enough adjustability to where if we do miss it, one way or the other we can work on it throughout the race. I’m just looking forward to the race, obviously it’s my home track and any time you go to your home track you want to do good.”

William Byron on Atlanta:
“Atlanta is a tough track. You have to take care of the right front tire there, or the right rear, whichever one seems to be wearing out the most. I think any time you get a chance to pass a car and get ahead of them you need to take it, but it’s a fine line of how hard do you push it versus taking care of your tires so you’re there in the end. You just really need to manage your equipment the best you can to have a shot. It’s a long 500-mile race and it’s physical. You have to do the best job you can to keep yourself mentally and physically in contention.”

Jimmie Johnson on his final race at Atlanta as a full-time NASCAR driver:
“I don’t know what to feel or think – I guess I would say this: If I had the chance to come back and race again on this track, I would take it. This is a fun, fun racetrack with so much character. Sadly, I know at some point they are going to have to pave it, which in my opinion will just change everything. I just love racing there. From what I understand historically, the ‘old’ Atlanta was the best track ever. The shape of the oval, the progressive banking, and then they made the D-oval.”

Johnson on Atlanta memories:
“So many memories of Atlanta. The weekend after the tragic plane crash our team suffered and winning that race (in 2004 was one of the most emotional wins or experiences I’ve ever had. It was one of my most special wins. This will be different without my fans there. I feel for my fans and our sport’s fans, and I am glad that we will still be on TV, so I plan to just drive my heart out and put on the best performance I possibly can.”

Alex Bowman on being optimistic going to Atlanta:
“Atlanta should be a good track for our team. Our 1.5-mile program is really good right now and I feel confident that we can continue that momentum from Charlotte. This track is one where you have a lot of options. It’s worn out and you can move around a lot, which gives drivers a lot of choices. Everyone appreciates options, so this weekend should be a good one.”

Bowman’s thoughts on his special shoes for a good cause in Atlanta:
“I have some new shoes this weekend for Sunday’s race. It is always special in Atlanta when we support the Chase Elliott Foundation and their “DESI9N TO DRIVE” program. Justin Mingo, 14 years old, designed some awesome blue shoes with red flames. Hopefully we can get Justin’s shoe design to victory lane.”

McDowell on Atlanta:

“We have an awesome looking No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang that has been ready to race at Atlanta Motor Speedway since early March. We were there when the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily froze our sport, and now it is time to finally return. We are coming off of a solid run at Bristol Motor Speedway and our No. 34 team is looking to continue that momentum into this weekend at Atlanta. I really appreciate Marcus and all of the great people at Fr8Auctions for coming on board for their sixth consecutive season partnering with Front Row Motorsports and I can’t wait to strap in and turn 325 laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway in the No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang this Sunday.”

Fr8Auctions Founder, Marcus Barela:

“When life throws you a curve ball, you can do one of two things: adapt and move forward or sit and wait. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been one of those curve balls, and I am proud to say that Fr8Auctions has worked to adapt in these last few months, much like the way NASCAR has, in order to move forward with the return of the great sport the so many of us love. We are excited to extend our partnership with Front Row Motorsports into its sixth year and are looking forward to working with Michael McDowell for the second consecutive season. Michael has been a great ambassador for our brand and we can’t wait to see him driving the No. 34 Fr8Auctions Ford Mustang at our hometown track, Atlanta Motor Speedway. Experiencing the recent loss of one of our family members, Wyatt, we are proud to kick off the #BraveLikeWyatt foundation, which is a charitable organization that provides financial assistance and support to families with chronically ill children.” For more information on how you can help, please visit: bravelikewyatt.com

About Fr8Auctions

Fr8auctions has served the resale industry with the largest selection of merchandise in the country for over 15 years. Our merchandise is sold biweekly during a live auction in Atlanta, GA with thousands of pallets from major retailers, freightlines, and original manufacturers. We are building the resale community one pallet at a time! For more information, visit: Fr8Auctions.com

Team: No. 6 Progressive Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 500 miles, 325 laps, Stage Lengths: 105-105-115

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 – Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

· NASCAR returns to the track where the schedule originally left off prior to sweeping changes from COVID-19, with all three national series (NCS, NXS, NGROTS) heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway.

· The Cup Series will run 500 miles on Sunday in the sixth event since NASCAR’s return to the track on May 17 in Darlington. Following Atlanta, the NCS will hit Martinsville (June 10), Homestead (June 14) and Talladega (June 21).

· Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

Bristol Recap, Sunday Preview

· Despite two solo spins in the Castrol Ford, Newman overcame an ill-handling machine to battle for a 15th-place finish on Sunday.

· Sunday’s starting lineup at Atlanta will once again be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owner points. Newman and the No. 6 team are 20th in owner points, meaning they will draw for a starting spot in positions 13-24.

Newman Historically at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Newman makes his 28th start at Atlanta on Sunday, where he carries an average finish of 17.9 with nine career top-10s.

· Newman has a stellar 7.1 average starting spot at the 1.5-mile track with seven career poles, as well as two-straight outside pole starts. In 26 career races Newman has started on the front row 12 times.

· His top finishes came back in 2004 and 2013 when he crossed the line fifth. He’s also finished 10th on four occasions, including most recently in 2015. Last season he ran 13th in the No. 6.

· Newman is a former winner at AMS in the Truck Series winning back in 2008, one of only seven Truck starts in his career.

· Newman also has three starts at AMS in the Xfinity Series, finishing eighth in 2010 and capturing the pole back in 2001.

Scott Graves at Atlanta Motor Speedway

· Graves will call his fourth NCS race at Atlanta on Sunday. In three prior starts, he has a best finish of 13th with Newman last season. He and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., earned the pole back in 2013 before finishing 16th, while he and Daniel Suarez finished 15th in 2018.

· Graves will call his ninth NCS race at Bristol on Sunday. With an overall average finish of 14.5, he led Newman to a ninth-place run in the 2019 spring race.

· Graves also called seven Xfinity Series events at Bristol dating back to 2012, recording one top five with Chris Buescher (2015) and two additional top-10s with Buescher (2014) and Daniel Suarez (2016).

· Graves is a former winner at AMS in the Xfinity Series, taking Kyle Busch to victory lane in 2017 after starting on the pole. He and Chris Buescher earned a fourth-place run in 2015, and he also finished seventh with Suarez a year later.

QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on racing at Atlanta:
“Atlanta is a track where we carry a lot of speed, and makes for some fun yet challenging racing with the different options we have to run. Some guys will keep it up near the wall, while others will try the bottom. We had a couple cautions not go our way last year and still managed a top-15, so we’re hoping for an even better performance this time around and glad to have a new partner in Progressive on the car.”

On the Car
It was announced Wednesday that Progressive Insurance will serve as the primary partner on the No. 6 machine with Ryan Newman this weekend in Atlanta.

Built Bar, a leading manufacturer of protein bars, has partnered with Corey LaJoie and Go Fas Racing to be the primary sponsor of the No. 32 Ford at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, June 7 and one additional race in the 2020 season. Built Bar will also be joining the team as an associate partner for the remainder of the 2020 season.

Based in Utah, Built Bar combines natural, clean ingredients in a unique way. The proprietary process produces a bar that is high in protein, high in fiber, and low in sugar. With a light, fluffy texture and pure chocolate coating, the bar is known to “taste just like a candy bar” by its loyal consumers, and comes in an incredible variety of delicious flavors.

“As part of our commitment to providing exceptional nutritional value and great taste to our community, we’re thrilled to join forces with Corey LaJoie as our first-ever premier athlete,” said a Built Bar spokesperson. “Not only is he leading the next generation of motorsport athletes and NASCAR superstars, but he also shares a similar mindset and values when it comes to health and wellness. It’s an honor to team up to support his efforts to give back and uplift the community.”

The company is capable of making over one million bars per day, operating out of a state-of-the-art 225,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. Selling direct-to-consumer, orders are received fresh within a few days from distribution centers located across the United States.

LaJoie said of the new partnership, “I fell in love with Built Bar’s protein bars over the last year or so. They are a great snack for after a workout or when on-the-go. They’re a really healthy snack that tastes similar to a candy bar. We’re really excited to bring them on board and put this great looking No.32 Built Bar Ford on track in Atlanta and again later this season.”

LaJoie has two NASCAR Cup Series starts as well as two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile track located in Hampton, Georgia.

The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will be broadcast live on FOX on Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. ET.

To view all of the Built Bar products and for more information, visit www.BuiltBar.com.

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About Our Team

About Built Bar:
Built Bar is a leading manufacturer of healthy, great-tasting protein bars-combining natural, clean ingredients in a unique way. The proprietary process produces a bar that is high in protein, high in fiber, and low in sugar. With a light, fluffy texture and pure chocolate coating, the bar is known to ‘taste just like a candy bar’ by it’s loyal consumers, and comes in an incredible variety of delicious flavors.

The original built bar was created by an experienced food inventor who wanted to develop a healthy, great tasting protein bar. After a few years of development, the Built Bar formula was perfected and ready for production. With the help of two seasoned entrepreneurs to provide marketing expertise and financing, the “Built” brand was born, and the company has experienced phenomenal growth over the past two years.

Located in Utah, Built Bar operates a state-of-the-art 225,000 square foot manufacturing facility that has the capacity to make over one million bars per day. Selling direct-to-consumer, orders are received fresh within a few days from distribution centers located across the United States. Built Bars are also available at exclusive retail stores across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please visit www.builtbar.com.

About Go Fas Racing:
Go Fas Racing (GFR) currently fields Ford Mustangs in the NASCAR Cup Series for driver Corey LaJoie. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, GFR has competed in the NASCAR’s premier series since 2014; fielding cars for some of NASCAR’s top drivers, including past champions. To find out more information about our team please visit www.GoFasRacing.com.

Stay up-to-date on Corey LaJoie:
To get live updates during the race weekends follow @coreylajoie on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to give Corey a “like” on Facebook – “@CoreyLaJoieRacing”. For a detailed bio and updated in-season statistics, please visit www.coreylajoieracing.com.

CONCORD, N.C. (June 3, 2020) – Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Progressive Insurance will serve as the primary partner on its No. 6 Ford Mustang with driver Ryan Newman this weekend when the NASCAR Cup Series takes the green flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“We’re excited to welcome Progressive Insurance to the team this weekend in Atlanta,” Newman said. “A major brand such as theirs fits well into the NASCAR space. Atlanta makes for a challenging and entertaining race with the differing options of the preferred line, so we’re looking forward to it with Progressive on board.”

Newman has nine top 10s and seven poles in 27 starts at Atlanta, where Roush Fenway has won six times at NASCAR’s highest level.

“We’re inspired by the resolve of Ryan and thrilled to be working with him and the team at Roush Fenway Racing this weekend in Atlanta,” said Jay VanAntwerp, Progressive’s Media Business Leader. “Racing fans, and sports fans in general, are craving live events, so everyone should be thrilled at the chance to see Ryan and his fellow drivers out on the track. Progressive’s competitive spirit is a great fit for the dynamic, fast-paced action of NASCAR, so we’re looking forward to being part of that excitement with the No. 6 car wrapped in blue and white and sporting the Progressive name. Hopefully we will see Ryan take the checkered flag on Sunday afternoon.”

Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway is set for 3 PM ET and will be broadcast live on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.

ABOUT ROUSH FENWAY RACING

Roush Fenway Racing is one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Cup Series. Moving into its 33rd season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, having produced multiple award-winning Social Media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram, and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.

This Week in Motorsports: June 3-8, 2020

· NCS/NXS/NGOTS: Atlanta Motor Speedway – June 6-7

PLANO, Texas (June 3, 2020) – NASCAR heads back to Atlanta Motor Speedway – the site of several Toyota Racing milestones in NASCAR.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NGOTS

Nothing Like Your First… Kyle Busch drove to Toyota’s first NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 2008. Busch led 173 laps (of 325) in scoring his first Cup Series win for Toyota. Since joining Toyota, Busch has won 52 NCS events, 86 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) races and 51 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS) events. Busch will compete in both the NCS and NGOTS races this weekend in Atlanta.

Four in Playoff Positioning… Atlanta is the 10th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season and four Toyota drivers are currently in Playoff positioning. Denny Hamlin has locked his spot into the Playoffs with wins at Daytona International Speedway and Darlington Raceway, while Martin Truex Jr. (sixth), Busch (ninth) and Erik Jones (14th) are currently in the top 15 in points.

First Supra Win… Atlanta Motor Speedway was also the sight of the first win for the Toyota Supra last February. Christopher Bell was dominate – leading 142 of 163 laps – and drove to his first of eight NXS wins last season.

Heading Back Home… Toyota drivers Brandon Jones and Austin Hill are headed back close to home. Atlanta-native Jones has had a strong start to the season with an NXS win at Phoenix Raceway, clinching his Playoff spot. Winston, Georgia-native Hill is currently leading the NGROTS point standings on the strength of three top-10 finishes.

Burton on a Hot Streak… Harrison Burton has extended his streak of top-10 finishes to seven to start the season after a fourth-place effort at Bristol Motor Speedway on Monday. Burton has been the highest finishing rookie driver in every NXS event this season.

Dash 4 Cash Returns… Both Burton and Jones have qualified for the first ‘Dash 4 Cash’ race on Saturday afternoon at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Burton and Jones will be competing against Chase Briscoe and Noah Gragson for a $100,000 bonus for the top finishing driver.

First Time at Atlanta… Several Toyota drivers are making their first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway. NXS rookie Riley Herbst, along with NGOTS rookies Christian Eckes, Raphaël Lessard, and Derek Kraus are all making their Atlanta debut.

Stay Connected

@ToyotaRacing.com @ToyotaRacing

facebook.com/ToyotaRacing Camera With Flash on Apple iOS 11.3 ToyotaRacingMedia.com

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About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Chris Buescher – Atlanta Advance
Team:                   No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief:         Luke Lambert
Twitter:                @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format:     500 miles, 325 laps, Stage Lengths: 105-105-115
Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 – Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

ADVANCE NOTES

NASCAR Returns to Action

·         NASCAR returns to the track where the schedule originally left off prior to sweeping changes from COVID-19, with all three national series (NCS, NXS, NGROTS) heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway.
·         The Cup Series will run 500 miles on Sunday in the sixth event since NASCAR’s return to the track on May 17 in Darlington. Following Atlanta, the NCS will hit Martinsville (June 10), Homestead (June 14) and Talladega (June 21).
·         Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

Bristol Recap, Sunday Preview

·         After a promising start with another stage point earned in Sunday’s race from Bristol, Buescher made contact and ultimately cut a tire midway through before finishing 23rd.
·         Sunday’s starting lineup at Atlanta will once again be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owner points. Buescher and the No. 17 team are 21st in owner points, meaning they will draw for a starting spot in positions 13-24.

Buescher Historically at Atlanta Motor Speedway

·         Buescher makes his fifth Cup start at Atlanta on Sunday, a track he has one top-10 at with an average finish of 21.5.
·         The 27-year-old is coming off a ninth-place run in the No. 37 machine last spring, a huge improvement after starting 30th. Prior to that, Buescher’s best finish was 24th in the 2017 event.
·         This won’t be the first time Buescher pilots the Fastenal machine in Atlanta, as he carried the brand to a fourth-place run in the Xfinity Series back in 2015.

Luke Lambert at Atlanta Motor Speedway

·         Lambert will be atop the box for his ninth Cup event on Sunday. In eight prior starts he has two top-10s, both in back-to-back seasons with Ryan Newman in 2014 (seventh) and 2015 (10th).
·         Lambert and Newman put together some solid qualifying runs at Atlanta in years past, with an average starting spot of 12.8, including five top-10 starting spots – two of which were outside front row in 2017-18.
·         Lambert also called one Xfinity race with Elliott Sadler in 2012, finishing fourth after starting seventh.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Atlanta:
“We’re looking for a bounce back run this weekend in our Fastenal Ford. I had a solid run there a year ago, and it makes for a fun yet challenging 500 miles with options to run the wall, or keep the car down on the line. We’ve had our high points in the last four weeks, we just need to finish one off with a solid run this weekend.”

On the Car
Fastenal celebrates its 10th season with Roush Fenway Racing in 2020. The Minnesota company spent three years on the No. 99 before jumping to the No. 17 Cup Series entry, and were the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity team that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

MCR, Honeywell, Norton, JET JPW, and Walter Surface will be the Fastenal suppliers to ride aboard the No. 17 this weekend.

·         MCR, a leader in the field of personal protective equipment (PPE), will be on the hood.
·         Honeywell, now headquartered in Charlotte, will ride on the TV panel.
·         Norton, a Saint-Gobain brand, will ride on the deck lid.
·         JET, with 50 years’ experience in the industrial tool category, will be on the lower rear quarter.
·         Walter Surface, a leader in surface treatment technologies, will ride on the B-post.

About Fastenal
Fastenal [Nasdaq: FAST] is North America’s largest fastener distributor and a ‘one-stop’ source for hundreds of thousands of OEM, MRO and Construction products. With more than 2,600 stores worldwide, the company supports B2B customers with tailored local inventory and dedicated personnel, who visit regularly, quickly respond to emergency needs, and provide efficient inventory management solutions. Fastenal’s service-oriented business network includes the world’s largest industrial vending program, 14 regional distribution centers, 8 custom manufacturing facilities, thousands of delivery vehicles, and industry-leading sourcing, quality and engineering resources.